VIETNAMESE CHICKEN SALAD GOI GA BAP CAI
I am so so thrilled to share this recipe for Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga Bap Cai) with you all! This salad is one of those staples at most Vietnamese restaurants, and is usually served as an appetizer, family style, but I’ve been known to order it for myself as an entree.
One of the best parts of this salad is how healthy yet filling it is. The poached chicken is treated as a core component, rather than a sad afterthought sitting off to the side. And the vegetables are hearty and filling and can certainly hold up to a day or two in the fridge if you can’t eat it all right away (hello cabbage!).
Vietnamese Chicken Salad is dressed with a simple and classic sauce – Nuoc Cham – a combination of sweet, sour, and umami flavors (fish sauce!) and dresses this salad up perfectly.
And don’t forget your herbs! Mint, cilantro, and Thai basil are the Vietnamese classics.
Vietnamese Chicken Salad side view, close up
Tips for Poaching Chicken
Definitely select the highest quality chicken you can find/afford. It will make the end result so much better. I recommend organic.
Use aromatics! In this recipe we use ginger and scallions to make the chicken extra flavorful. You can really taste the difference.
Don’t boil for too long- bring the water just to a boil and immediately reduce the heat to a simmer. This will prevent your chicken from becoming too tough and rubbery.
20 minutes is all it takes! Let your chicken rest and cool before shredding for the recipe.
Vietnamese Chicken Salad top down view
Other Tips
Using a Mandoline will help you out for sure if you need help shredding the cabbage and julienne-ing the carrots. You could also use a food processor fitted with a shredding attachment as well, but it wont be quite as perfect.
Don’t want to bother with frying your own shallots? You can buy packaged fried shallots ahead of time as well.
